


We're having a baby

by Goldenbuttons



Series: Changes [12]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-04
Updated: 2013-01-26
Packaged: 2017-11-23 14:58:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,819
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/623429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Goldenbuttons/pseuds/Goldenbuttons
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock could never resist the opportunity to document another human being's entire life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Weighty matters

**Author's Note:**

> This entire work will be pure unadulterated fluff. Because sometimes babies make you feel that way!

It was a Thursday evening in early March. John was at work, Sherlock was writing up notes from a case he had finished earlier in the week, and Cathy was knitting a baby’s blanket.

“Is it normal that you have only put on five pounds? I thought by now you would look like you were carrying a basketball under your dress”

“And thank you for the compliment Sherlock! Do you always have to comment on my weight? It’s rather personal, you know.”

“It wasn’t meant to be... oh, sarcasm? I’m just anxious. You put on half of that before Christmas and surely if we’re nearly at the halfway mark, the baby must be about three or four pounds and you have to keep your strength up if you’re to carry our baby around all the time. Surely I’m allowed to worry a bit.”

“What do you mean, I’d put on half? Have you been keeping records of my pregnancy? Am I an experiment???”

“Well of course you are. Where else would I ever get the chance to totally record another human being from womb to tomb? Well hopefully the baby will outlive me, so from your womb to my tomb. It’s all set out in a spreadsheet, plus I’ve set up a file to expand on my observations. It’s quite fascinating to see the changes in you, just in this short period of time, but it’s easy to see that you aren’t putting on enough weight for the baby to grow enough.”

Cathy laughed. “What? What’s so funny? Don’t you want me to be concerned?”

“Of course I do Sherlock. I love that you are so concerned about our baby, but it’s actually rather exciting to know more about something than you do. Makes a nice change! The baby only weighs about half a pound at the moment. It’s shorter than my hand, yet alone yours. My doctor is actually very pleased with my progress. I did put on a little weight at first, but I think that was mainly because I stopped going to the gym. And then when I had morning sickness through January and February, I hardly put on any weight at all. In the next four and a half months I’ll put on another twenty pounds. And the baby will put on about seven. I know this might sound a bit radical, but if you want data for your spreadsheet, why don’t you ask me? I can tell you whatever you need to know and you won’t have to guess.”

“Guess? I never guess. I deduce. Surely you know I NEVER guess. Is the baby moving yet?”

“It probably is, but it’s too small for me to feel yet. My doctor thinks I should feel it moving sometime in the next month. I’ll let you know as soon as I can after I tell John. I don’t want everyone patting my tummy, so don’t you dare tell anyone, but as soon as we can feel it, you can put your hand right here.” She pointed at her bump. “Just don’t tell anyone else, or everyone will want to touch it.”


	2. Names

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Choosing names might be easier if they knew if their baby was a girl or a boy.

“John, what were your grandparents’ names?” 

“My father’s parents were Hamish David and Clare Elizabeth. Mum’s parents were John Ross and Barbara Grace. What about yours?” 

“Dad’s parents were William Thomas and Hannah Grace; mum’s parents were David George and Catherine Ellen. Which names do you like?”

“Well, it looks like a boy should be David, and a girl should be Grace. But which other names?”

Sherlock had been playing something beautifully soothing, John thought it was Bach, but he chose that moment to stop playing and wander in to the dining room, 

“Sherlock, what were your parents’ names? Do you have more than one name?” 

“William, it’s my father’s name and my second name. My mother was Violet. Why?” 

“Just thinking of names.” 

“Well if you would stop being ridiculous and just ask the ultrasound technician next week to tell you the gender that would halve your work. Anyway, I thought if you had a son he was supposed to be Hamish. Isn’t that what you once told me?” 

Cathy interrupted “I like Violet. Would you mind if we used your mother’s name?”

Cathy continued “Then here are the names we need to use. If it’s a boy, David, Hamish and William. If it’s a girl, Violet, Grace and maybe Elizabeth. We just have to fiddle with the order. What do you think John?”

“Sounds perfect: Hamish William David or Violet Elizabeth Grace. Another problem solved!”

Sherlock smiled, "So long as it's not Mycroft", and resumed playing.


	3. Taking pictures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People will always make assumptions.

In mid March, Cathy, John and Sherlock arrived for Cathy’s ultrasound. Today they had to decide whether to find out if they were having a girl or a boy.

As they started to enter the room, the technician vainly tried to stop them by insisting that only the father was allowed in with the mother. 

Cathy kept her fingers crossed. “Why? I want my husband AND my brother with me? They won’t be any trouble.” 

Eventually they were all allowed in and Cathy got comfortable, with John and Sherlock behind her, one on either side. The tech looked from Sherlock to John and then to Cathy, and back to John. 

“Are you guys, you know...” 

”You know what? What are we supposed to be?” asked Cathy. 

“Well, you know, a surrogacy arrangement between you and your brother’s boyfriend?” 

“What, no, of course I’m not having someone else’s, I mean, I AM having my husband’s baby” and she gestured towards John. 

“Oh, the blond one is your husband, but he’s short and fair like you , so I thought he was...” her voice trailed off. 

Cathy spluttered, while Sherlock looked bored. “The world is full of idiots; Cathy takes after Mother, while I am the image of my father, who is not Cathy’s father. Mother married twice.” The tech looked very flustered and red-faced. There was no conversation for some time.

Eventually, when they could see the baby moving on the screen, the tech asked Cathy how she had been feeling lately. Over the past few days Cathy had been feeling fluttery movements, but she explained that neither John nor Sherlock had felt them yet. 

“Baby looks very active at the moment; do you want to know the baby’s sex?” 

Simultaneously, John said “No” and Sherlock said “Yes”, so the tech looked to Cathy. “Well?” “Um, no, no I don’t think so. Sorry Sherlock, you’re just going to have to wait like the rest of us.”

After her earlier embarrassment, the tech was happy to do whatever she could to make amends, and so provided two CDs with the photos and video of the baby. Sherlock explained that he needed his own copy for his files, but also got a print of one shot where the baby’s face seemed quite clear.

John chuckled, “The Sherlock Holmes I first met would never have been so totally involved with anyone, yet alone a baby. I think you’re going to be a wonderful uncle. So long as you remember that our baby is NOT an experiment!”


	4. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's hot, Cathy is fed up with being pregnant and she still has three weeks to go.

It’s hot. Really hot. If you’re eight and a bit months pregnant, it’s unbearably hot. Cathy knows it’s not Afghanistan hot, but she is tired and hot and just fed up with being pregnant.

John tries his hardest to make things easier for her. Some days she doesn’t even leave the house until the cool of evening, and John does any shopping or errands that need to be done. 

Sherlock seems mystified as to why she is so irritable. He knows that John and Cathy both want this baby and once Cathy got over her morning sickness in February she had seemed happy and healthy, but for the past few weeks she has been snappy and bad tempered. In all the time he has known her, she has never snapped at him, but the other day when he commented on the way she had gained so much weight in just a month, she screamed at him to get out of the room. She apologised later, but he was actually a little hurt; he had just made a simple observation and anyone would have thought he had been trying to be nasty.

With the baby’s due date at the end of July, Sherlock and John had told Greg that they would not be available after the 20th July until the baby was born and only for important cases for the whole month, but with mood Cathy had been in for the past few days, when Greg rang about a new case, both men were happy to rush out the door. 

“Are you SURE you’ll be OK? Sherlock could go on his own.” 

“No, go, just go. The baby’s not due for three weeks, I know I’m not easy to live with at the moment, I’ll have a nap and watch a DVD. I have the air conditioner. If you are going to be very late or overnight, just give me a call or send a text. I’ll be fine, now off you go.”

At first sight, the case looked fairly simple and Sherlock was scathing in his criticism of Greg for even calling them in, but as the afternoon turned into evening, he became more and more frustrated at the inconsistencies of the case. What had seemed straightforward was far more difficult than he had thought. As everyone (except Sherlock) stopped for a quick meal, John rang Cathy to find that even after a nap and a lukewarm shower she was still feeling quite uncomfortable. 

“Don’t come home darling, I’ll be fine. Stay until it’s over. If you’re not home when I want to go to bed I’ll call you. I’m fine, don’t worry.”

John returned to working with Sherlock, supporting him and shielding him from the occasional insult from the Yarders –even now after his vindication, there was still the odd insult and snide comment. At 10.30pm, John was starting to yawn and just wished that Sherlock would have a sudden insight which would get them all home and asleep before midnight. When his phone rang, John expected that Cathy was just ringing to tell him that she was going to bed. To his surprise, she asked when he could leave the case. 

“Who knows, it really seems to have him stumped. Why, is there a problem?” 

Sherlock was only half listening to John’s end of the conversation, but he stilled when John said “But you can’t. It’s only the 8th, you’re not due for another three weeks.” 

“OK, I’ll just have to leave Sherlock here, I’ll meet you there. I should be only a few minutes.” 

As he closed the phone and returned it to his pocket, he turned to Sherlock and Greg to tell them he was leaving, to see Sherlock had gone even paler than normal. 

“What’s wrong? She’s not due yet, is the baby alright?” 

“Contractions, they are regular and getting closer. She called from the cab. I have to go now. Sorry Sherlock, I just have to go.” 

“Of course, I’m right behind you. Lestrade, the husband’s brother. He thinks he should have got more of their father’s estate; he stole the paintings to make up his share. He hasn’t had time to sell them yet. John, take a deep breath, we’re not far from the hospital.” And with that, he turned away, walked to the end of the street and raised an arm to flag down a passing cab.

When they arrived at the hospital, Sherlock threw some notes at the driver and both men rushed to find Cathy. After a few minutes they were speaking to one of the midwives in the delivery ward. 

“Dr Watson, you can join your wife in a few minutes, but your friend...” 

“I’m Cathy’s brother, she would want me there.” 

“Um, no, she probably wouldn’t . However, if Mrs Watson wants you there, someone will come and get you. If you would just like to take a seat in the waiting area...” 

“But... no she wants me there. I’ve been charting the baby’s progress all along, I just need a little bit more for the files. Cathy understands how important it is.” 

“Sherlock! Stop! I’ll just go in and see her, I’ll be back soon to talk to you. Sit down and I will be back as soon as possible.” 

Sherlock sat for a few seconds, before rising to pace up and down in front of the nurses’ station, until John returned to say that he could come in but only for a few minutes. 

“But, of course she will want me there. Why can’t I stay.” 

“Sherlock, stop talking. Cathy needs to discuss this with you.” 

As they walked into the delivery suite, Sherlock looked around, obviously taking every detail of the room. As he walked towards the foot of the bed, Cathy gestured for him to come to her side. 

“Sherlock, no. You are not going to stand at the foot of the bed and watch my baby being delivered. I love you, you are my best friend but there are some things I am not prepared to allow you. While you’re in this room, you will be here at my side. John told me that you want to be in here, but I really would prefer not. It’s just a bit too personal.” 

At the despondent look on his face she hurried on “On the other hand, I’m happy to have you stay here for a while and then I need you to go send some messages and make a couple of phone calls for me. Can you grab my handbag?” She gestured to the table at the side of the room, and Sherlock was quick to respond. Cathy opened the bag and grabbed a sheet of paper. 

“Now, all these people need to be contacted. Test messages for most of them will be just fine, but even though it’s the middle of the night, can you ring my parents? They never go to bed until about midnight anyway, so if you ring soon they will still be up. They were planning to come to London when the baby arrived, so they will need to know it will be tonight or tomorrow. Then can you make sure the spare room is ready for them. I put clean sheets on the bed last week, but the windows need to be opened, and fresh towels put in their bathroom.” 

Sherlock grabbed the sheet of paper, 

“Who are these people? Why do they need to be told?” 

“Well, my parents and brothers, Harry, Mycroft, oh don’t pull faces at me, he’s an uncle too, so he needs to know. The headmistress from school can wait until the baby is actually born, and you had better let the ladies from stitch and bitch know; I’m fairly certain I won’t be there tomorrow!” 

“Stitch and what?” 

“Stitch and bitch, it’s my Wednesday knitting group. Almost certainly, my baby s going to be born on Wednesday. Unless it comes in the next hour or so, but I don’t think I’m that close. Now go ring my parents, If you like you can come back for while before you send those text messages.” 

“Mycroft hates text messages.” 

“Well then, you will enjoy sending one to him, won’t you?”

Sherlock left the room to ring Cathy’s parents and was back within ten minutes or so to tell Cathy and John that they would be in London by midday tomorrow. After a few minutes, he kissed Cathy on the cheek, hugged both his friends and wished them good luck, and reluctantly left for home, having extracted a promise that John would ring as soon as the baby was born, no matter what the time.

At about 2.30am, Sherlock walked back into the waiting room, and curled up in a corner chair. Every time anyone walked through the room he startled, but he was nearly asleep when his phone rang. He jumped to his feet as John told him that the baby was born and he burst into the delivery suite, just in time to see Cathy and John embracing the tiny little wailing form in their arms. 

“Sherlock, were you outside?” 

“Yes of course I was John, I’d done all the things Cathy asked me to do, so I was waiting outside. Can I...” 

“Yes, of course you can. Sherlock come and meet Violet Elizabeth Grace Watson. Violet, this is your Uncle Sherlock.” 

And as Sherlock sat beside his friends the tiny bundle was placed in his arms. She immediately stopped crying and lay there with her eyes wide open. 

“But, she is so beautiful. Just gorgeous. So tiny, so perfect.” 

“Sherlock, are those tears?” 

“Don’t be ridiculous John, I never cry. That would require emotions. Sentiment. Caring.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's hard to imagine that the Sherlock Holmes we first met using a riding crop on a corpse in A Study In Pink could cry over a newborn, but as we have seen , love and friendship can bring about amazing change in even the hardest (or even absent) hearts.  
> I'm inclined to finish the series here, although I won't promise to never revisit the little family at 221 Baker Street. I can imagine that growing up in a house with parents like John and Cathy and a resident uncle like Sherlock would produce amazing children, with John's warmth, Cathy's patience and Sherlock's intellect. They would be exposed to the worlds of crime, music, medicine, the military, education, knitting and government. I am fairly confident that they could rule the world.
> 
> I must confess to two small indulgences in this chapter; Violet shares my birthday. Apparently when I was only an hour or so old I was crying vigorously until I was placed in my father's arms when I immediately settled, and as soon as I was taken off him I cried again. Apparently this was repeated with several nurses and every time I cried for them and stopped crying for my father, so the little incident at the end is definitely based on me. My mother claims that is when I got my father wrapped around my little finger. I suspect that it may be the moment Violet did the same thing with Sherlock!
> 
> Thank you for reading my little series. Apart from one little 221b, this is my first fan fic, and although I am dissatisfied with some aspects of it, it has been a lot of fun.


End file.
